edge?”
Pratt let Ellis answer again.
“Seems as if Browne had done more than cover up Spadafini’s indiscretions. There were some illegal things.”
“Like what?”
“We’re not sure yet. He alluded to something involving an underage girl. About that time, a lawyer showed up and turned off the tap. We’ll get it out of him somehow.”
The captain shook his head. “So why did the orchestra pull that ‘we’re all guilty’ stunt?”
Pratt answered. “Because they were all convinced that one of them had done it. It worked perfectly for Browne. He’d known all the scuttlebutt going down among them, how they’d been jokingly coming up with ways to kill their conductor. This morning he just gave it a little push.”
“If Browne had recovered Spadafini’s cell phone after the murder,” Ellis added, “he only needed to lose it. We might never have thought to check the phone company’s records and connect up the dots. Browne might actually have gotten away with it.”
The captain shook his head again. “Maybe you won’t complain about cell phones anymore, eh, Pratt? One of them saved your sorry ass today.” McDonnell got to his feet. “Good job, both of you. Now I’m going home to persuade my wife she isn’t mad at me for being down here on my day off.”
The two detectives were headed for home too.
As they stopped to get their coats, Ellis turned to Pratt. “You said earlier that you’d heard Spadafini conduct several times. What was he like as a musician?”
“Incredible. He could make you hear a piece of music as if it was the first time. I don’t think I’ve ever been to more exciting concerts.”
“And he was such a…well, a scumbag as a person.”
“Yeah, kid. Welcome to our world. You’ll find when you dig below the surface, a lot of people are pretty ugly. In my experience, the more ability a person has, the greater the ugliness.”
Ellis held out his hand to Pratt. “Thank you for letting me work with you today- and for trusting me.”
“Thank the captain. He dumped you on me. Remember?” Then Pratt clapped Ellis on the shoulder. “How about if we go out for a couple of beers and a good steak dinner with all the trimmings? My treat.
Got anything on?”
“I’m in-just as long as the restaurant’s background music isn’t classical.”
